The secret writing on a lichen

In Bridford Wood there’s a tree. On the tree is an unusual lichen; it’s called Graphis scripta, the Secret Writing Lichen. It’s pale grey with irregular scrawling black marks within it:

In the middle of the lichen are some black smudges: these are a fungus, I think it’s probably Stigmidium microspilum.

A fungus growing on a lichen on a tree: I really need to buy myself a decent macro camera. There’s a whole other world out there which we can only just about glimpse with the naked eye.